Mobile concrete mixer assembly



Nov. 16, 1965 L. cox 3,218,045

MOBILE CONCRETE MIXER ASSEMBLY Filed July 6, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. LEW/s Cox WMM Nov. 16, 1965 1.. cox 3,218,045

MOBILE CONCRETE MIXER ASSEMBLY Filed July 6, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 EETUE/V supp/M E MVPAQUL/C MOTOR-52 INVENTOR. [Err/.5 Cox Nov. 16, 1965 cox 3,218,045

MOBILE CONCRETE MIXER ASSEMBLY Filed July 6, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N V EN TOR. dew/s Cox WWW aQya/nd M 47 nae/V2745 United States Patent 3,218,045 MOBILE CONCRETE MIXER ASSEMBLY Lewis Cox, 11654 Sheldon St., Sun Valley, Calif. Filed July 6, 1964, Ser. No. 380,317 Claims. ((11. 259-167) The present invention relates to improvements in mixing apparatus for building materials such as concrete, and more particularly, to an improved mobile concretetype mixer assembly.

Mobile concrete-type mixers and particularly those used in conjunction with pneumatic concrete applying mechanisms commonly include a trailer-supported mixing drum and a relatively large bucket hinged to the back of the trailer for loading concrete mix material into the rear of the drum. In conventional mixer assemblies, the bucket is rotated about the hinge coupling to the trailer by a motor driven winch stationed above the drum and including a cable extending around the rear end of the bucket. Rotation of the winch raises and lowers the bucket between a generally horizontal load position adjacent the ground and a generally vertical dump position. In the former the concrete mix material is loaded into the bucket and in the latter it is dumped into the drum.

The drum is mounted for rotation relative to the frame of the trailer to mix the concrete material which then normally passes through an opening in the front of the drum to the equipment of the concrete applying mechanism.

The overall loading and mixing operation of conventional mobile concrete mixers of this type is rather slow, inefficient and somewhat unreliable. In this respect, the motor driven winch mechanism for rotating the bucket is a heavy, bulky structure and comparatively slow operating, while the structure for supporting and rotating the mixing drum is relatively complex and expensive.

Moreover, the hinge coupling for the bucket to the trailer has proven extremely undesirable for mobile concrete mixer assemblies. Such a coupling limits movement of the bucket to an arcuate path between generally horizontal and vertical positions. When it is desired to tow the trailer-supported mixer from one job site to another, the bucket is secured for safety reasons in its generally vertical dump position. In this position, the bucket extends well above the drum and acts as a wind brake during road travel. In practice, the drag created by the vertically extending bucket is so great that the trailer cannot be safely towed at normal open highway speeds and represents a real road hazard on windy days. As a result, conventional mobile mixer assemblies must be towed very slowly. This has the practical effect of reducing the number of different job sites which can be serviced by a single mixer assembly during a given period of time and requires the concrete supplier to utilize several mixer assemblies and crews at an appreciable expense to the supplier and, hence, indirectly to his customers.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a general object of this invention to provide a compact, mobile concretetype mixer assembly which obviates the problems inherent in conventional mixers.

Another object is to provide an improved mixer assembly of the type described, having an extremely stable yet simple and inexpensive support-drive mechanism for the mixing drum.

A further object is to provide such an improved mixer assembly further characterized in that the structure mounting the bucket enables it to be quickly and easily moved to an open road position for safe high-speed travel, and between load and dump positions at the job site.

3,218,645 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 It is another object of this invention to provide a simple, yet efiicient and extremely stable lateral and longitudinal support drive mechanism for the mixing drum of a mobile mixer assembly.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a simple and reliable bucket linkage assembly capable of vertically positioning the bucket in an open road position generally below an upper edge of the drum and projecting a minimum distance rearwardly of the drum, whereby the assembly may be safely transported at normal open highway speeds.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a linkage assembly of the foregoing type which may be quickly and easily conditioned at the job site so that upon actuation thereof, the bucket moves between its load and dump positions.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a linkage assembly of the foregoing type which includes a fast acting and highly efiicient hydraulic lift mechanism for selectively and rapidly effecting the movement of the linkage assembly between its open road, load and dump positions.

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the truck or trailer mounted mixer assembly of the present invention including a rotatable mixing drum and bucket for loading material into the drum, the bucket being in its open road position for low wind-resistance, open road travel;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, from the bottom of the mixing drum, illustrating the structural support and rotary drive for the drum;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the mixer assembly with the bucket raised slightly from its open road position of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the mixer assembly wherein the solid outline depicts the bucket in an upper vertical dump position for depositing material into the drum, and the broken outline depicts the bucket in a generally horizontal load position for receiving the material to be mixed; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic-block diagram of the hydraulic-mechanical system for selectively powering the linkage assembly and the rotary drive for the drum.

The mobile mixer assembly 10 of the present invention includes a generally horizontal support frame 12 integral with the rear of the truck or trailer 14 for transporting the mixer assembly. Preferably, in order to obtain maximum mobility the assembly is truck mounted. The support frame 12 provides a base for supporting a hollow mixing drum 16 and a stationary reference for a linkage assembly 18 coupled to the rear of the support frame and to a bucket 20 for dumping mix material into the drum.

The drum 16 is generally cylindrical in external configuration, having openings 22 in its front and rear ends 24 and 26 and an annular rib 28 with outwardly converging sides extending around its midsection. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the drum 16 is cradle-supported over the frame 12 for rotation about its longitudinal axis 30 with the axis lying in a generally horizontal plane. The cradle-support is provided by two pairs of rubber- ;covered, parallel, cylindrical drive rollers 32 and 34 spaced equally on opposite sides of and parallel to the drum axis 30. The spacing of the rollers 32 and 34 from the drive axis 39 allows the drum to nest between the rollers with the rollers engaging the periphery of the drum 16 along lines angularly spaced approximately ninety degrees. Thus arranged, the cradle-Support is extremely stable and insures against undesired lateral excursions of the drum even while the mixer assembly is being transported from one job site to another over rough terrain.

The support for the drum 12 also prohibits undesired longitudinal movement of the drum during stop and go travel of the assembly. This is accomplished by two pair of guide rollers 46 and 42 fixed to laterals 44 and 46 of the support frame 12 on opposite sides of the annular rib 28 of the drum 16. The guiderollers 46 and 42 are located between the cylindrical drive rollers 32 and 34 and are inclined slightly from the horizontal to engage and rIde along opposite outwardly converging sides of the annular rib 28 as it passes through the side spaces provided between the pairs of drive rollers 32 and 34.

In addition to providing lateral cradle-support for the drum 16, the cylindrical drive rollers 32 and 34 also provide means for rotating the drum to mix the material supplied by means of the bucket 29. To this end, the

rollers 32 and 34 are fixed to drive shafts 48 and 5G of hydraulic motors 52 and 54, respectively. The motors are supported within openings in a lateral 56 of the frame 12 and are located forward of the front end 24 of the drum 16. The opposite ends of the shafts 48 and are journalled to a lateral 58 of the support frame 12 at the rear of the drum 16. Thus, rotation of the drive shaft 48 and 50 in one direction rotates the cylindrical rollers 32 and 34 to turn the drum 16 in an opposite direction and mix the material therein.

As indicated most clearly in FIGURE 5, the drive for the shafts 48 and 54 is through the hydraulic motors 52 and 54. High pressure fluid is fed to the motors 52 and 54 from a supply 60 through a control valve 62 and a flow divider 64. The fluid is then returned to the supply 60 by returns 66 and 68, respectively. These individual elements are all of conventional design and are selectively and manually controlled from an arm 70 and linkage 72 to the valve 62 which opens and closes the valve to regulate the fluid flow to the motors and hence their speed of operation and the mixing rate of the material within the drum 16.

To introduce material into the drum 16, the mixer assembly it? of the present invention employs the skip or bucket 20 operated by the linkage assembly 18. The bucket 20 is generally funnel-shaped, having a relatively flat bottom '73, an enlarged open rear portion 74 for receiving mix material and a relatively small funnelshaped forward portion 76 converging to an open spout 78 at its upper lip. The top of the bucket 24 between the spout and the open rear portion 74 is closed. A shield 80 is provided along the upper rear lip of the open end 74 of the bucket Ztl. The shield 80 primarily serves as a wind deflector for the bucket 20' when the bucket is in the lowered vertical, open road position illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The linkage assembly 18 provides the means whereby the bucket 20 may be lowered to the open road position illustrated in FIGURE 1, and then conditioned so that operation of the assembly moves the bucket between its dump and load positions illustrated in full and phantom lines, respectively, in IGURE 4. In the dump position, the bucket is tilted upwardly with the spout '78 extending into the rearward opening 22 in the drum 16. Accordingly, any material in the bucket flows into the drum. In the load position the bucket is tilted downwardly and may rest on the ground. The opening 74 faces upwardly so that the bucket may be conveniently loaded from the ground.

To so mount the bucket 20, the linkage assembly 18 includes a pair of hydraulic lift mechanisms 82 stationed on opposite sides of the bucket 29. Each hydraulic lift mechanism includes a conventional cylinder-piston assembly 34 having a closed lower or proximal end and a bellow-covered piston rod 58 extending from an opposite 4 or distal end of the assembly for extension and retraction in response to fluid pressure at the lower end of the cylinder. The assemblies 84 areadapted for swinging movement in generally vertical planes. This is accomplished by coupling their proximal ends to opposite ends of a horizontally extending rotatable support rod 85 passing through aligned openings in a pair of support flanges 86. The support flanges 86 are fixed to or integral with the frame 12 and extend to the rear of the drum 16 below the lower end of therear opening 22. The distal ends of the piston rods 88 are pivotally coupled to the bucket 20 substantially midway between the spout 78 and open end '74 by horizontally extending connecting rods 89 passing from the piston rods through openings in mounting brackets 90 fixed to channeled stringers 92 running along opposite sides of the bucket.

In addition to the hydraulic lifts 82, the linkage assembly 18 includes a pair of pivotal support arms 94 stationed on opposite sides of the bucket 2% for manually mounting the same. The arms 94 are adapted for movement in generally vertical planes between the hydraulic lift mechanisms and the bucket. The lower ends of the support arms 94 are pivotally coupled at 95 to the support frame 12 slightly above and forwardly of the support rod 85. At their opposite ends, the arms 94 are fixed to ends of a horizontally extending support rod 96 rotatably mounted on the bucket 20. Mounting of the rod 96 is achieved by passing it through aligned openings in a pair of support flanges 98. The flanges 98 in turn extend from the stringers 92 below the front side of the bucket 26 adjacent the spout 78 whereby the rod 96 passes under the spout.

The linkage assembly 18 is powered from the same high pressure fluid supply as the cylindrical drive rollers 32 and 34 for the mixing drum 16. Thus, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, the rightand left-hand hydraulic lifts 82 are supplied with high pressure fluid from the source 6t? through a control valve 100 and a flow divider 102. The valve tilt) is selectively and manually controllable from an arm 10dand a linkage 106 between the arm and the valve. Movement of the arm 194 controls the opening of the valve 1% to either supply high pressure fluid to the hydraulic lifts 82 or to open a return from the hydraulic lifts to the supply 69. When high pressure fluid is supplied to the hydraulic lifts, the piston rods 88 are driven outward from the cylinder-piston assemblies 84. When fluid is returned from the hydraulic lifts to the supply 60, the rods are retracted into the assemblies 84. Movement of the bucket 26 is thus controlled from the control arm 104 through the associated hydraulic system and linkage assembly 13.

Prior to on-the-job operation of the mixer assembly, the bucket 20 is in its lowered vertical, open road position (FIGURE 1) with the open rear end 74 resting against the rearward end of the mixing drum 16. It should be noted that in FIGURE 1 the bucket 20 is generally below the upper edge of the drum 16 with only the air shield 8% being exposed. This is the position of the bucket 20' during road travel. Since only the airdeflecting shield St is exposed, the bucket creates a minimum air drag upon the vehicle supporting the mixer assembly. Thus the mixer assembly may be safely driven or towed at normal open highway speeds from job site to job site thereby allowing a single mixer assembly to handle a number of different jobs which heretofore required the use of separate .mixer assemblies.

To condition the linkage assembly for on-the-job operation, the operator moves the control arm 1% to apply high pressure fluid to the hydraulic lifts 82. As the piston rods 28 are driven outward from the assemblies 84, the bucket 25 is moved upward as illustrated in FIGURE 3. To insure that the bucket does not tilt back during its initial vertical movement from its open road position, a chain (not shown) may be looped over the edge of shield 80, passed over the top of the drum 16 and held by the operator.

When the piston rods 88 are extended, the support arms 94 are in similar generally vertical positions. The length of the arms 94 is greater than the vertical distance between the couplings 95 and the lower edge of the rear drum opening 22. Thus, when the piston rods 88 are fully extended, the forward lip of the spout 7 S is adjacent the rear opening 22 and adapted to move forward with the arms 94 into the opening to define the vertical dump position for the bucket 20. Therefore, to move the bucket to the dump position represented by the solid outline in FIGURE 4, the operator simply pushes forward on the upper ends of the arms 94 to move them over center. As illustrated in FIGURE 4, when the bucket is in the dump position, the support rod 96 pivotally connecting the bucket to the arms 94 lies between the drum 16 and a vertical plane including the support rod 85 pivotally coupling the hydraulic lifts to the frame 12.

A locking bar 108 is positioned between the rear edge of the support arms 94 and a pair of retaining arms 110 fixed to the frame 12 to insure that the arms remain in this over center position during operation of the bucket and linkage assembly. In this condition, retraction of the assemblies 84 tilts the bucket about the axis of the rod 96 to the generally horizontal load position depicted by the broken outline in FIGURE 4. Further, subsequent extension of the piston rods 88 from the assemblies 84 rotates the bucket 20 about the rod 96 to the vertical dump position. Thus, once the support arms 94 are in the over center" position, manual control of the arm 104 to supply or release fluid supply to the hydraulic lift mechanism 82 selectively tilts the bucket 20 between the dump and load positions.

In the load position, mix material is loaded into the bucket. In the dump position, the material slides downward along the funneled forward end of the bucket to pass from the spout 78 into the drum 16. The load and dump operation may be repeated until the job is completed, at which time the bucket 20 may be moved to its open road position. This is achieved by tilting the bucket to the dump position, removing the locking rod 108, swinging the upper end of the support arms 94 over center away from the drum 16, and finally retracting the piston rods 88 into the assemblies 84.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides the mobile concrete-type mixer assembly, including an extremely stable, yet simple, cradle-support and drive assembly for the mixing drum and a novel linkage assembly for mounting and actuating the bucket. The linkage assembly permits the bucket to be positioned in an open road position against the rear of the drum and generally below the upper edge thereof for safe high-speed travel. The assembly is further adapted to be quickly and easily conditioned to the job site so that upon actuation, the bucket move rapidly between its load and dump positions.

In the foregoing specification, a specific embodiment of the mobile concrete-type mixer has been described. Modifications, of course, may occur to those skilled in the art which do not depart from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention be limited in scope only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A mobile concrete-type mixed comprising:

a support frame;

a hollow mixing drum supported on said frame for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and having an opening in a rear end for receiving the material to be mixed;

a bucket for depositing the material into said drum and including a forward lip facing said drum for directing said material through said opening;

and a linkage assembly between said frame and said bucket for vertically supporting said bucket in an open road position facing said drum with said forward lips outside and below a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward lip immediately adjacent said lower edge of said opening to direct said material into said drum, and for lowering and raising said bucket between a generally horizontal load position wit-h said bucket facing upward and said dump position.

2. A mobile concrete-type mixer comprising:

a support frame;

a hollow mixing drum having an opening in a rear end for receiving the material to be mixed;

means coupled to said frame for supporting said drum with its longitudinal axis lying in .a generally horizontal plane and for rotating said drum around said horizontal axis;

a bucket for depositing the material into said drum and including a forward lip facing said drum for directing said material through said opening;

and a linkage assembly between said frame and said bucket for vertically supporting said bucket in an open road position facing said drum with said forward lip outside and below a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward lip immediately adjacent said lower edge of said opening to direct said material into said drum, and for swinging said bucket between a generally horizontal load postion with said bucket facing upward and said dump position.

3. The mixer of claim 2 including cooperative means on said drum and on said frame for preventing longitudinal movement of said drum relative to said frame.

4. A mobile concrete-type mixer comprising:

a support frame;

an elongated, hollow mixing drum supported on said frame with its longitudinal axis generally horizontal and arranged for rotation about said axis, said drum having an opening in its rearward end for receiving material to be mixed;

an open top bucket for depositing said material into said drum and including a forward lip facing said drum for directing said material through said openand a linkage assembly, including power-operated drive means, connecting said bucket to said frame and adapted to position said bucket in an open road position wherein it rests against the rearward end of said drum with said forward lip outside and below a lower edge of said opening, said linkage assembly being adapted to be conditioned so that upon actuation of said drive means, said bucket tilts between a vertical dump position with said forward lip immediately adjacent said lower edge of said opening for directing said material into said drum and a generally horizontal load position with the opening in said bucket facing upwardly.

5. A mobile concrete-type mixer comprising:

a support frame;

an elongated, hollow mixing drum supported on said frame with its longitudinal axis generally horizontal and arranged for rotation about said axis, said drum having an opening in its rearward end for receiving material to be mixed;

a funnel-shaped bucket having an enlarged rear portion with an open top for receiving said material and a relatively small front portion having an upwardly and forwardly opening spout for dispensing material from said bucket into said drum;

and a linkage assembly, including power-operated drive means, connecting said bucket to the rearward end of said frame and adapted to position said bucket in an open road position with said enlarged rear portion resting against the rearward end of said drum and said spout outside and below a lower edge of said opening, said linkage assembly further being adapted to be conditioned so that upon actuation of said drive means said bucket tilts between a vertical dump position with said spout projecting downwardly into the opening in said drum and a generally horizontal load position with said enlarged rear portion below said spout and with the opening therein facing upwardly.

6. A concrete-type mixer comprising:

a support frame;

a hollow mixing drum supported by said frame for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and having an opening in a rear end for receiving the material to be mixed;

a bucket for depositing said material into said drum and including a forward lip facing said drum for directing said material through said opening;

a linkage assembly between said frame and said bucket for vertically supporting said bucket in an open road position facing said drum with said forward lip outside and below a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward lip immediately adjacent said lower edge of said opening, and for lowering and raising said bucket between a generally horizontal load position with said bucket facing upward and said dump position, said linkage assembly including a longitudinally extensible and retractable drive assembly having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point below and to the rear of said opening in said drum for swinging movement in a generally vertical plane, a support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point adjacent said first end of said drive assembly and a second end pivotally coupled to said bucket adjacent said forward lip of said bucket, said support arm being adapted to rotate in a generally vertical plane about said first end to a generally vertical position with said second end of said arm lying in a vertical plane between the rear of said drum and a vertical plane including said first end of said drive assembly, and means pivotally coupling a second end of said drive assembly to said bucket on a side of said coupling of said support arm and said bucket remote from said forward lip;

and means for selectively extending and retracting said drive assembly so that when said support arm is in said generally vertical position said bucket tilts about said second end of said support arm between said load and dump positions.

7. A concrete-type mixer comprising:

a support frame;

a hollow mixing drum supported by said frame for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and having an opening in a rear end for receiving the material to be mixed;

a bucket for depositing said material into said drum and including a forward lip facing said drum for directing said material through said opening;

a linkage assembly between said frame and said bucket for vertically supporting said bucket in an open road position facing said drum with said forward lip outside and below a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward lip immediately adjacent said lower edge of said opening, and for lowering and raising said bucket between a generally horizontal load position with said bucket facing upward and said dump position, said linkage means including a longitudinally extensible and retractable drive assembly having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point below and to the rear of said opening in said drum for swinging movement in a generally vertical plane, a support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point adjacent said first end of said drive assembly and a second end pivotally coupled to said bucket adjacent said forward lip of said bucket and means pivotally coupling a second end of said drive assembly to said bucket on a side of said coupling of said support arm and said bucket remote from said forward lip;

means for selectively extending and retracting said drive assembly;

and means for locking said support arm with said second end adjacent said opening and between said drum and a vertical plane including said first end of said drive assembly whereby extension and retraction of said drive assembly rock said bucket about said second end of said support arm between said load and dump positions.

8. In a concrete-type mixer having a hollow mixing drum supported for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis by a support frame and a bucket including a forward lip for guiding material to be mixed into said drum through an opening in a rear end of said drum, a linkage assembly between said frame and said bucket for vertically supporting said bucket in an open road position facing said drum with said forward lip outside and below a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward lip immediately adjacent said lower edge of said opening, and for lowering and raising said bucket between a gen erally horizontal load position with said bucket facing upward and said dump position, comprising:

a longitudinally extensible and retractable drive assembly having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point below and to the rear of said opening in said drum for swinging movement in a generally vertical plane;

a support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point adjacent said first end of said drive assembly and a second end pivotally coupled to said bucket adjacent said forward lip of said bucket, said support arm being adapted to rotate in a generally vertical plane about said first end to a generally vertical position with said second end lying in a vertical plane between the rear of said drum and a vertical plane including said first end of said drive assembly;

means pivotally coupling a second end of said drive assembly to said bucket on a side of said coupling of said support arm and said bucket remote from said forward lip;

and means for selectively extending and retracting said drive assembly so that when said support arm is in said generally vertical position said bucket tilts about said second end of said support arm between said load and dump positions.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said support arm is longer than the vertical distance between said pivotal coupling of said first end of said support arm to said frame and a lower edge of said opening in said drum.

it). The combination of claim 9 including means for locking said support arm in said generally vertical position.

11 In a concrete-type mixer having a hollow mixing drum supported for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis by a support frame and a bucket including a forward lip for directing material to be mixed into said drum through an opening in a rear end of said drum, a linkage assembly between said frame and said bucket for vertically supporting said bucket in an open road position facing said drum with said forward lip outside and below a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward lip immediably adjacent said lower edge of said opening, and for lowering and raising said bucket between a generally horizontal load position with said bucket facing upward and said dump position, comprising:

first and second longitudinally extensible and retractble drive assemblies located on opposite sides of a hollow mixing drum supported on said frame for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and having an opening in a rearward end for receiving the material to be mixed;

said bucket and each having a first end pivotally funnel-shaped bucket having an enlarged rear portion coupled to said frame at a point below and to the with an open top for receiving said material and a rear of said opening in said drum for swinging moverelatively small front portion having an upwardly ment in a generally vertical plane; and forwardly opening spout for dispensing said first and second support arms positioned on opposite material from said bucket;

sides of said bucket and each having a first end and means for vertically supporting said bucket with pivotally coupled to said frame at a point adjacent said rear portion facing said drum and said spout said first end of an adjacent drive assembly and 2. outside and below a lower edge of said opening for second end pivotally coupled to said bucket adjacent raising said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward lip of said bucket, said support arms said spout opening into said drum opening and for being adapted to rotate in substantially vertical planes lowering and raising said bucket between a generally to generally vertical positions with said second ends horizontal load position with said rear portion facing lying in a vertical plane between the rear of said upward and said dump position, said means including drum and a vertical plane including the first end of a longitudinally extendible and retractable drive said drive assemblies; assembly having a first end pivotally coupled to said means pivotally coupling second ends of said drive frame at a point below and to the rear of said openassemblies to said buckets on sides of said couplings ing in said drum for swinging movement in a genof said support arms and said bucket remote from erally vertical plane, a support arm having a first said forward lip; end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point adand means for selectively and simultaneously extendjacent said first end of said drive assembly and a ing and retracting said drive assemblies so that when second end pivotally coupled to said front portion of said support arms are in said generally vertical posisaid bucket adjacent said spout, said support arm tions said bucket tilts about said second ends of being adapted to rotate about said first end in a. said support arms between said dump and load generally vertical plane to a generally vertical posipositions. tion with said second end of said arm lying in a 12. A concrete-type mixer comprising: vertical plane between a rear edge of said drum and a support frame; a vertical plane including said first end of said drive a hollow mixing drum supported on said frame for assembly, said support arm being longer than the rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and vertical distance between the pivotal coupling of said having an opening in a rear end for receiving the first end of said arm to said frame and a lower edge material to be mixed; of said opening in said drum such that when said a bucket for depositing said material into said drum support arm is in said generally vertical position the and including a forward lip facing said drum for junction of said arm and said bucket is above said directing said material through said opening; lower edge of said opening and said spout opens and means for vertically supporting said bucket facing into said opening, means pivotally coupling a second said drum with said forward lip outside and below end of said drive assembly to said bucket on a side a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket of said coupling of said support arm and said bucket to a vertical dump position with said forward edge remote from said spout, and means for selectively immediately adjacent said lower edge of said openextending and retracting said drive assembly. ing, and for lowering and raising said bucket between 14. A concrete-type mixer comprising: a generally horizontal load position with said bucket a support frame; facing upward and said dump position, said last a hollow mixing drum supported on said frame for mentioned means including first and second longirotation about a substantially horizontal axis and tudinally extendible and retractable drive assemblies having an opening in a rear end for receiving the located on opposite sides of said bucket and each material to be mixed; having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame a bucket for depositing said material into said drum at a point below and to the rear of said opening in and including a forward lip facing said drum for said drum for swinging movement in a generally directing said material through said opening; vertical plane, first and second support arms posiand means for vertically supporting said bucket facing tioned on opposite sides of said bucket and each said drum with said forward lip outside and below having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket at a point adjacent said first end of an adjacent drive to a vertical dump position with said forward lip assembly and a second end pivotally coupled to said immediately adjacent said lower edge of said openbucket adjacent said forward lip of said bucket, said ing, and for lowering and raising said bucket between support arms being adapted to rotate in substantially a generally horizontal load position with said bucket vertical planes to generally vertical positions with facing upward and said dump position, said means said second ends lying in a vertical plane between including a pair of hydraulic lift assemblies, one the rear of said drum and a vertical plane including positioned on either side of said bucket and each said first ends of said drive assemblies, means pivotincluding a cylinder pivotally coupled at one end to ally coupling second ends of said drive assemblies said frame at a point below and to the rear of said to said bucket on sides of said couplings of said opening in said drum for swinging movement about support arms and said bucket remote from said forsaid one end in a generally vertical plane, a telescopward lip, and means for selectively and simultaneing piston arm extending from said cylinder for ously extending and retracting said drive assemblies movement into and out of said cylinder, a pair of so that when said support arms are in said generally support arms one on either side of said bucket, each vertical positions said bucket tilts about said second support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to ends of said support arms between said dump and said frame at a point adjacent said one end of an load positions. associated cylinder and a second end pivotally con- 13. A mobile cement-type mixer comprising: pled to said bucket adjacent said forward lip of said a frame supported for travel over the ground by a bucket, said support arms being adapted for arcuate plurality of wheels; movement in generally vertical planes to a generally vertical position with said second ends of said support arms lying between the rear of said drum and a vertical plane including said one ends of said cylinders, means pivotally coupling exposed ends of said piston arms to said bucket on sides of said coupling of said linkage arms and said bucket remote from said forward lip, 21 high pressure fluid source, and means for selectively supplying fluid from said fluid source to said cylinders to move said piston arms into and out of said cylinders so that when said support arms are in said generally vertical positions said bucket tilts about said second ends of said support arms between said dump and load positions.

rear oftsaid opening in said drum for swinging movement about said one end in a generally vertical plane,

a telescoping piston arm extending from said cylinder for movement into and out of said cylinder, a

5 pair of support arms one on either side of said bucket, each support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame at a point adjacent said one end of an adjacent cylinder and a second end pivotally coupled to said bucket adjacent said forward lip of 10 said bucket, said support arms being adapted for movement in generally vertical planes to a generally vertical position with said second ends of said support arms lying between the rear of said drum and 15. A mobile, concrete-type mixer comprising:

a frame supported for travel over the ground by plurality of Wheels;

a hollow mixing drum having an opening in a rear end for receiving the material to be mixed;

means coupled to said frame for supporting said drum with its longitudinal axis lying in a substantially horizontal plane for rotation about said longitudinal axis, said means including a pair oflparallel cylindrical drive rollers journalled to said frame parallel to and spaced on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis to cradlesupport said drum;

a bucket for depositing said material into said drum and including a forward lip facing said drum for directing said material through said opening;

hydraulic rotary drive means for turning said drive rollers to rotate said drum;

means for vertically supporting said bucket facing said drum with said forward lip outside and below a lower edge of said opening, for raising said bucket to a vertical dump position above a lower edge of said opening and for lowering and raising said bucket between a generally horizontal load position with said bucket facing upward and said dump position, said means including a pair of hydraulic lift assemblies one positioned on either side of said bucket and each including a cylinder pivotally coupled at one end to said frame at a point below and to the a vertical plane including said one ends of said cylinders, means pivotally coupling exposed ends of said piston arms to said bucket on sides of said coupling of said support arms and said bucket remote from said forward lip, a high pressure fluid source, and means for selectively supplying fluid from said fluid source to said cylindersto move said piston arms into and out of said cylinders so that when said support arms are in said generally vertical positions said bucket tilts about said second ends of said support arms between said dump and load positions; and i selectively controllable means for applying fluid from said source to said hydraulic drive means to selectively control the rotation of said drum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATESPATENTS 3/ 1944 Lichtenberg 259--167 8/1964 Retzlalf 259-176 X FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1960 France.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES Av WILLMUTH, Examiner. 

1. A MOBILE CONCRETE-TYPE MIXED COMPRISING: A SUPPORT FRAME; A HOLLOW MIXING DRUM SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME FOR ROTATION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS AND HAVING AN OPENING IN A REAR END FOR RECEIVING THE MATERIAL TO BE MIXED; A BUCKET FOR DEPOSITING THE MATERIAL INTO SAID DRUM AND INCLUDING A FORWARD LIP FACING SAID DRUM FOR DIRECTING SAID MATERIAL THROUGH SAID OPENING; AND A LINKAGE ASSEMBLY BETWEEN SAID FRAME AND SAID BUCKET FOR VERTICALLY SUPPORTING SAID BUCKET IN AN OPEN ROAD POSITION FACING SAID DRUM WITH SAID FORWARD LIPS OUTSIDE AND BELOW A LOWER EDGE OF SAID OPENING, FOR RAISING SAID BUCKET TO A VERTICAL DUMP POSITION WITH SAID FORWARD LIP IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID LOWER EDGE OF SAID OPENIG TO DIRECT SAID MATERIAL INTO SAID DRUM, AND FOR LOWERING AND RAISING SAID BUCKET BETWEEN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL LOAD POSITION WITH SAID BUCKET FACING UPWARD AND SAID DUMP POSITION. 